Groups call for extending postpartum Medicaid coverage

Concern is growing that 60 days of postpartum care in not enough to diagnose and treat some of the conditions contributing to poor maternal outcomes in the United States. Women who become Medicaid-eligible during their pregnancies automatically lose their coverage 60 days after giving birth, although medical issues such as bleeding, infections, breastfeeding challenges and mental health problems may persist much longer. The American Medical Association, the Icahn School of Medicine and the Kaiser Family Foundation called for expanding postpartum Medicaid coverage at a September hearing in the House of Representatives, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists went on record supporting 12 months of postpartum coverage for Medicaid recipients in June. The groups see extending postpartum Medicaid coverage as a way to protect women during a medically vulnerable time. (Kaiser Health News story, 11/13/19)